Thursday 21 April 2016

Women Customs Watchers

From the Daily Record, 3rd April 1916

WOMEN CUSTOMS WATCHERS. 

The war with the introduction of so much female labour has brought about some surprising changes in the Civil Service, and for the first time in the history of the Customs women are about to wear the Customs uniform.

The authorities, with the sanction of the Treasury, have decided to employ women as temporary Customs watchers, positions hitherto mainly reserved for ex-soldiers and sailors and retired policemen.  The duties of these officials are simple, consisting, as the name indicates, in watching over dutiable articles and locking and unlocking bonded warehouses.

The exact nature of the women’s uniform has not yet been settled, but it will be something resembling that of the Customs officials, with caps and armlets added.

[Sounds like a really cushy job.  And what were the retired soldiers, sailors and policemen going to be doing instead, I wonder?].

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